Charles wrote:
This is nothing to do with sailing, but came from my local Bobby, thought you might be interested, as it could save you a broken car & stolen GPS. The following works even if the unit is turned off:-
IT HAS COME TO ATTENTION THAT IF YOU USE A MOBILE PHONE THAT HAS BLUE TOOTH AND POINT IT TO VEHICLES PARKED UP IT WILL SHOWUP A SAT NAV AND THE SECOND HIT WILL ACTUALLY SHOW UP A TOM TOM, EVEN IF THESE ITEMS ARE NOT ON DISPLAY IN THE VEHICLE.
THEY DO THIS TO SCAN A VEHICLE - AND THROUGH THIS THEIR MOBILE WILL SHOW IF THERE IS A SAT NAV IN THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE AND THEREFORE KNOW FOR CERTAIN THERE IS A SAT NAV IN THE VEHICLE.
THIS SCANNING WILL HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF A PERSON JUST TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH OF THE VEHICLE.
IF THIS IS SEEN TO BE DONE PLEASE CONSIDER ARRESTING FOR GOING EQUIPPED.
""""NOTE OF INTEREST - THIS HAS BEEN TRIED ON A CAR PARK AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES
TWO VEHICLES WERE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A SAT NAV ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT ON DISPLAY!"""
Some expensive Sat Nav equipment relies on Bluetooth technology to operate, and some UK forces are reporting thieves using their mobile phones' Bluetooth facility in an attempt to locate Sat Nav and other equipment, which has been left inside vehicles.
Very often these devices will not be equipped with a means to "block" searches by other Bluetooth users,
as is common on phones.
The average mobile phone has a receiver that will identify any Bluetooth device within a radius of ten metres,
and might assist a thief to target a vehicle, even if the equipment had been placed out of view by,
for instance, being placed in a glove box.
